Thanks for your kind words, Jon!
It struck me how fun it would be to travel a few years and see how my impressions were from previous vintages. Here are the impressions from the 2012 vintage (given that I finally tasted the 2012 Barolo Granbussia Riserva). Oh, and the 2013 vintatge as well.
It’s all about…Barolo. Part II - The Aldo Conterno Controversy (?)
Or…actually, there IS NO controversy, other than perhaps here at Vinous. And for this, I need to give Antonio some friendly bashing. Hopefully by now, he knows me well enough to understand it’s not with ill intent.
As with every relationship, there are some ups and downs over time. At the end of the day, usually not about every single topic but more related to specific disagreements and right now I’m experienceing one of those rocky periods where we will simply have to agree to disagree. It’s actually about wines from two different producers, where I just don’t understand where the reviews are coming from, but I’ll start with one of them here and continue when the Barolo Boys return from Barolo.
Regarding the relationship, I’ve been an avid follower of Antonio ever since he started his utterly enjoayble and informative publication Piedmont Report. The reason I continued to take his advice over the years is the same old usual - I listen to those who seem to have a similar palate and produce a continous flow of informed advice that aligns with my own taste. Sure, there will always be occasional wines here and there that are scored somewhat differently but the big picture is that we are more or less in sync when it comes to Barolo.
I have a story for you I’d like to share regarding the 2004 Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco. Many, many moons ago, I worked for the Swedish state liquor monopoly, where we were also conducting wine tastings for the public. We had the usual suspects like basic tastings for beginners, introducing them to red grapes and white grapes. Then we had wine tastings following a common themes, like only wines from Bordeaux, or only from Burgundy, Rioja, Mosel, etc. And then…since we were a bunch of serious wine nerds working there, we had a “special” tasting that was always sold-out: one where we chose our favourite wines (that were released at the store over the year), poured it (blind) to the participants and allowed them to vote on the best wines. As an extension, it became a competition also between the personell working in that flagship wine store.
When the 2004 Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco was released we pulled back a six-pack for future tastings. The first time I chose it as one of my contestants in this competition, it won. And rightly so. It was absolutely gooooorgeous right from the start, exploding with flavours and had layers and layers of spices, herbs, roses, licorice and lovely red fruits that left the rest of the pack behind - and mind you, those were no puppies either, as we had access to absolutely first class wines from all over the world (first growth Bordeaux, super expensive Grand Cru Burgundies (think DRC, Rousseau, etc, the best wines from Rhone, the stars from Spain, Asutralia, US, etc - and the Who’s Who producers from Italy). The second time it was picked by a colleague of mine and…again won the whole competition (blind). After that we decided that it was disqualified to be used in any further competitions because we felt that whoever would choose it as his contestant would simply win the tasting competition. It would be too boring. 
Some time later, I don’t remember if it was a year or two, another bottles was actually used by me in another version of that competition. Some 3-4 hours before the public would arrive and take their seats, we all opened out bottles and poured them into decanters. When we did it, my colleagues bitterly complained about that damn bottle being used again because after being decanted everyone took turn for a quick sniff and everyone shook their heads in disbelief - sure enough, on the nose the Romirasco was absolutely rocking and we all agreed that we would yet again risk that it will blow the competition away (the other poor colleagues were standing there with their DRC, Abreau, La La’s, Haut-Brion, etc.).
However…then something happened. While some of my colleagues wines were a bit shy upon opening the bottle, they began developing and as the start of the tasting approached they got more and more confident they had a winner. BUT…me, with my Romirasco, discovered that as time went by - with reoccuring sips to check the development - the wine closed down more and more and…more. Finally, just as the public tasting commenced it was completely shut down. Receiving almost no votes, we stood there puzzled. Wine certainy IS a living thing, with great individuality. Just like explained by Maya:
Except for that lesson learned, my numerous encounters with the wines from Poderi Aldo Conterno has had many things in common. Incredible consistency and delivering drinking pleasure at the highest quality level. And…in fact, just as the consistent reviews by the main wine critics also show, those here at Vinous included.
So with this in mind as my background experience, it was with great surprise (to put it mildly) I stumbled upon the latest reviews of Aldo Conterno at Vinous. It wasn’t just the incredible low scores (87 points) for wines I have tasted previous vintages of but also the comments that seem to indicate a total collapse of a winery that I have always been holding at the highest esteem. Like…“qualitative equivalent of a straight, non single-vineyard Barolo from a mid-tier producer” and some other quite alarming descriptions. Some comments, I would say, were even harsh, like the comparison of the estate as a candidate to sell had it been traded on the stock market. I remember Roberto Conterno almost falling back on his chair when we told him we would later be visiting his underachieving cousin Giacomo, explaining that the joke came from the latest scoring of his wines at Vinous.
As has been discussed elsewhere here, Antonio is apparent not welcome to taste at the estate. And I obviously have inside information as to why but I have no intention to discuss the reason here, other than wishing that in some future both could talk to each other and get back on track where one of the most talented wine reviewer of Barolo once again can review some of the best wines in Barolo. Let me be clear on this – I’m saying this strictly as a passionate Barolo fan. Although I don’t know Antonio personally, I’ve met him on several occasions (and you will actually soon see a more extensive narrative story about my impressions of Antonio and his work) and I can say that I have the highest respect of his work and passion for wine. It’s not an easy task he has set his mind on and everyone can probably understand that life as a wine reviewer isn’t the easiest thing. He has been banned at estates that are not happy with his scoring and I can only ask myself – what would I have done if I taste wines from an estate and consider them to be average? The easiest escape would be to score every winery highly and make everyone happy and thus be welcomed back again with open arms. I know Antonio has stood his grounds and as a consequence been banned from some places and that honesty demands respect and can only be commended. At the same time, I must respect Giacomo Conterno’s right to open his doors to whomever he wants to receive as a guest (although the egotistic side within me quietly protests since I want these wines to be reviewed).
Regarding Vinous reviews scores…
Of course, I cannot tell Antonio that his scores are “wrong”, as any “right” or “wrong” is in the eye (or taste buds in this case) of the beholder. However, since the winery has been discussed on these pages and since many fans of Barolo, who don’t have the opportunity to visit this beautiful region themselves and experience the wines first hand, have been worried about the reports here that the Conterno winery is suddenly on a slippery road downwards in quality, what I at least can do is to offer another data point of impressions from the very same wines reviewed by Vinous. Now, I consider Giacomo a friend, like all Langa winemakers who have been forced to endure my constant knock on their door over the years. That doesn’t prevent me from sharing my honest opinion about the wines of Poderi Aldo Conterno. Aside from the obvious subjectivity of taste, opinions on a wine’s quality is a matter of trust. Just like a wine reviewer is under a constant spotlight from the scrutiny of subscribers, whatever people around me tell me about a wine will affect my trust based on my own perceived impression once I get to taste the very same wine. I’m sure everyone has friends like that – that over the years, you realise that some have a very similar palate and if they flag a wine and tell you to search for it, you know you will be well rewarded. I have three such close friends whose palates and knowledge I highly respect. Two of those are my fellow members of Barolo Boys Stockholm but one of the doesn’t share his thoughts online. And then we have a hang-around, Jörgen from this board, whose palate and knowledge I also trust, not only because he’s a teacher at the Restaurant Academy in Stockholm where the best sommeliers are coming from, but because he has deep knowledge about wine in general and when we taste together and compare scores, we seem to be in agreement most of the times. So I’ll allow some comparison between us when we discuss these wines.
Having seen the disturbing reviews of Aldo Conterni wines I immediately wrote to Giacomo and asked what’s going on at the winery and that we unfortunately cannot visit because we want to devote our time and attention only to important producers - the best of the best, so… Thankfully he has a good sense of humor so we agreed on a time and date to allow ourselves discover what’s going on with his wines. And here, I’ll let my friend Joakim start the narraive.
"The Barolo Boys arrived at 9.30 in the morning at the estate that in a distance looks like a the small village on the hillside. Ciacomo Conterno greated us and invited us in. He had said beforehand that he had an early appointment elsewhere, so we had prepared for a quick visit with a an ever quicker tasting. We left four hours later… And we had experienced what would become the greatest visit on our Piedmont tour. Giacomo is rather low keyed in his expressions but his intensity, emotions and passion for the wines of his (and his brothers) eatate and the wines of Piedmont shines through everything he says.
Some may have read Gallonis notes of the wines below and wonder what have happened to this great estate and its wines. We also pondered that question. At least until the wines were poured. The question after tasting the wines (same vintages as Galloni tasted) is instead - what is wrong with Galloni?! 87p for the most of the wines with a whopping 89p for the Romirasco!"
Here are the tasting notes from my impression of th wines (with added notes from my friends where applicable).
2013 Aldo Conterno Bussiador Langhe Chardonnay
At the start some influence from the oak but with a little time in the glass it broadened out into a silky, creamy blend of yellow fruits wrapped in a lovely mineralic structure surrounding the layers of yellow fruits. Wonderfully pleasing aromas similar to a full-trottle American Chardonnay. What I find most impressing with this wine is how it constantly flicks between impressions of crispy minerality and broad brushes of creamy, yellow fruit. With additional time in the glass it gained even more complexity and the finished becaue more and more intense. Simply lovely. 90 points.
Joakim:
This Langhe Chardonnay displays a creamy, structured nose with notes of candied lemons, summer flowers, white peaches and hazelnut cream. Very, very good. Ciacomo told us to leave the glass with some wine in it while we tasted the reds. Two hours later, in room temperature, the wine had taken on a deeper nose with pears and sweet minerals as the dominating scents. Really fine. The taste is young and tight with a mineral driven yellow fruit and notes of sun warm rocks, white peach and a hit of smoke. A long finish with a fine acidity. As with the nose, the wine had taken on a deeper character with time in the glass. A fine bottle of Chardonnay. 91 points.
2013 Aldo Conterno Il Favot Langhe Nebbiolo
Oscillating with energy from the glass - I love the intensity of the ripe, red fruits (think cherries and rasberries). The suprising fact is that it has spent 18 month in used barrles but the taste doesn’t reveal anything of it - it all seems utterly balaanced with everything in place. Some hints of moist tobacco throughout the palate, with balancing acidity and a sense of very pure and transparant red fruit. Impossible not to like. 90 points.
Joakim:
The Il Favot has a lovely perfume that flows out of the glass, with notes of sweet violets, rose petals, ripening red cherries and warm tiles. Very, very good. A youngish, outgoing character. The taste is cool and pure with notes of crushed cherries, liquorice, fir and forest floor. A medium bodied finish with a fine mix of acidity and tannins that cleanse the palate. 91 points.
2012 Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello
This was rather funny. When I first took a sniff I though the wines was slightly corked or just had a “dirty” component and I was wondering to myself - oh nooo, is Antonio actually right about these wines?? I looked over at Joakim and he seemed worried too (but we didn’t discuss the wines). Well, it took ony a few moments until those aromas blew away and what came instead was even deeper and more complex layers upon layers of red fruit (compared to Il Favot). Darker, more succulent red fruit, deeper layers of raspberries. Very sensual and feminine in texture - it sort of caresses your palate with a light and soft touch, only to change gear into a more powerful - yet with still silky and polished tannins - creaure towards the end. Love the spicy aromas and the succulent fruit on the long, persistant finish. Clearly a winner. 93 points.
Joakim:
When I first put my nose in the glass I thought - “oh dear, did Galloni made a correct call”? The wine had a bit murky, somewhat dusty nose. Meanwhile we talked a bit and a few minutes later I put my nose in the glass again. What?! Cristal clear, with gorgeous cherry fruit, liquorice, mushr0oms and a hint of tobacco. Very fine. And so it went on for the hours I tasted it, sometimes murky, sometimes lovely. The taste is more linear and pure with notes of hard cherry candy, dark gravel, Christmas spices and a touch of asphalt. Long and distinct, with polished tannins. Will drink beautifully for many years to come. 93 points.
Jörgen:
Amazing, floral notes immediately hits the nostrils here; just like walking thru a rose garden during flowering, with mineral spice adding depth and sincerity. Great grip on fruity finish, where red and dark berries, spice and sandy minerals shine thru. This aspires to be one of the most ”serious” Colonnello to date. Gorgeous. (5 weeks of maceration, 29 months in Botti, 5400 bottles produced). 96 points.
2012 Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala
Oh dear… Simply amazing from just putting your nose to the glass. I could stay with this wine for a long time without even taking a sip. However, Giacomo would be sad if we actually didn’t taste his wine so I took a sip and…intense, dark red fruit is flowing out of the glass and onto the palate. You are treated by the classic rose petals, licorice, suuuper fine tannins, again some moist tobacco and a hint of smoke and above all…a lovely minerality. But most impressive of all…tension. This wine is like a tense rubber band that you just want to let go to release the inner energy. Simply delicious - and, I would claim, nothing even close to the description I have seen at Vinous. This is a world-class wine. Period. 95 points.
Joakim:
The Cicala is a gorgeous creature. The nose is deep and profound with notes of dark cherries, sweet tobacco, undergrowth and a some wood smoke. Very refined. This is just lovely. Warm sand. The taste is big, intense and multi layered with notes of ripe black cherries, cigarr smoke, mushrooms, fir and violets. A very, very long finish with some ripe, sturdy tannins. Needs time but all the parts are there for something really great to emerge in 8+ years time. 96 points.
Jörgen:
Big and bold, with dark fruits and loads of spice, hinting at a Casbah market. Elegant and pretty refined defying its obvious weight, this is structured for the long haul while showing great balance, and despite being more brooding than usual, it’s still utterly compelling. (5 weeks of maceration, 29 months in Botti, 5600 bottles produced). 95 points.
2012 Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco
Well-well… If the previous wines were impressive, then this is… Absolutely astonishing nose opens the experience. Again those licorice notes, add the tobacco leafs, blend in some spices, pour tons of rose petals and add to it also a slight hint of truffles. One particular impression stays with you so vividly. It’s…succulent. Like a moist, juicy cactus in the middle of the desert that you eagerly just suck the moisture from to stay alive. Compared to the Baroli above, this is even deeper in texture and layers of fruit. And then there’s the…yes, I have mentioned it before but the word just couldn’t be better applicable with a wine like this…tension. Full of energy it seems to grab your attention from the very first sip and keeping you fully focused all the way to the long and complex finish. What a wine… 96-97 points.
Joakim:
A magnificent, deep and hauntingly beautiful nose with notes of the purest cherries imaginable, forest floor, raspberry liquorice and the aroma of a perfect late summer night in Italy. A high nose with a stunning purity. Some tobacco noires after a while. Almost perfect. The taste is concentrated, focused and just brilliant with notes of ripe red and black cherries, forest floor, rosehips, asphalt and hard cherry candy. The finish goes on for minutes. A perfect wine in the making, just give it 6+ years. Magic. 98 points.
Jörgen:
Dazzling aromas where cinnamon, cloves and licorice blend with lush, sexy and admirable fruit additions. Full-bodied and rich yet amazingly fresh, offering super-length, where sweet and grainy tannins take center stage on the expansive finish. It might not live forever like the ’08 or ’10 most likely will, but who cares? Best wine from this vintage that I’ve encountered so far. (6 weeks of maceration, 31 months in Botti, 4920 bottles produced). 98 points.
2008 Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia
Wow… Very do I even begin to describe this wine? Big, deep, fruit-packed aromas keep pumping out the glass. You don’t even have to put your nose above the glass - just spend some time close to the glass and you will be rewarded with captivating aromas of flowers and an assortment of fresh, red fruits. Not only the usual suspects like raspberries but succulent black cherries with a red cherry here and there trown into the blend just for fun. It’s like the deep-layered fruit components could be melted into something that could be layered on a sandwich. That would be One Mighty Lunch Snack! The tannins are there but are sweet and ripe and so utterly beautifully integrated into the surrounding fruit. The finish…well, there is almost o finish. It lingers on the palate and stays on and on and you even become annoyed by all the waiting. 96 points.
Joakim:
Supposedly the worst Granbussia ever produced, if Galloni is to be trusted. The 08 Granbussia displays a deep, refined and beautiful nose with notes of damp forest, spicy cherries, raspberry liquorice and chocolate wafers. A very handsome wine. Just great. The taste is young, tight and concentrated with notes of sweet/sour cherries, forest floor, Christmas spices and an ever so tiny note of mint. The finish is two minute long with structured, polished tannins. Great now but will be even greater in 8+ years. 96 points.
Jörgen:
Rich, aromatic and densely packed, showing almonds, spice, licorice and loads of minerality, complemented by sweet, ripe fruits. This is complex stuff. On the palate, the first thing I thought of was… Yummy. Perfection. Full-blown flavors with a sweet tannic structure, underlying acidity, red and dark fruits and an almost endless finish. I’m once again stunned about what’s being created here at present. Accessible thanks to its broad mid-palate, but patience is highly recommended. (10 weeks of maceration, 40 months in Botti, 3100 bottles produced). 100 points.
2006 Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia
Obviously, Giacomo wasn’t satisfied with us tasting only these “mediocre” wines… 
So he fetched nother bottle. The two year older sibling to the wine above. Outrageaously delicious. Truffles, sweet, red fruit coating your palate with broad sweeps with the flavouring painting brush. The perfume is hypnotizing. Ohh those moist tobacco leaves again, ohhh those layers of licorice again, and the deep, red roses and…among all this sensuality and elegance, a core of minerality that keeps everything in place. Tension at the level of like olympic archery. And again…the finish. Breathtaking, never-ending and simply gravity-defying. Incrdibly impressive. 98 points.
Joakim:
The 06 is a masterpiece. The nose is truly wonderful with its ethereal yet focused and intense nose, with stunning notes of ripe cherries, black truffle, melted asphalt and liquorice. Lots of rose petals rise from the glass after a while. Very, very deep. Amazing. The taste is the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, with notes of ripe red cherries, warm gravel, rosehips and cigarr tobacco. The finish is counted in minutes. Beautiful sandy tannins cleanse the palate. As the Romirasco, a perfect specimen in the making. Give this beauty 6+ years. 98 points.
So what to make of all this? Is this an “ottantesette” winery? Are there inconsistencies? Is the winery loosing its grip and going south in terms of quality. The answer is no, no and…no. On the contrary, just as expected, these wines respresent the very pinnacle of the glorious heights Barolo can offer today. Some of the wines are simply staggering, with many wow-moments from this tasting. Our third member of Barolo Boys Stockholm takes notes but doesn’t publish them but he didn’t have much to add as his tasting notes and scores were more or less the same as ours.
No report from Aldo Conterno would be complete without some visual memories, above all from the charismatic Giacomo. The passion and the straight talk makes for a most educating and above all, utterly pleasant visit everytime we have the chance to enter the doors of the mighty Poderi Aldo Conterno.
The third member of Barolo Boys Stockholm in an intense discussion with Giacomo
Discussion and…apparently complete agreement on the fabulous display of these great wines.
Fascinating to see old, historical maps and first accounts of the Romirasco vineyard.
And today, Thursday, May 25th…Giacomo is waiting for us again. This time to taste the 2013s of Aldo Conterno. Hopefully we will be able to report back soon and share our impressions - just to make sure they will be more delicious than “ottantasette”.
It’s all about…Barolo. Part III - Revisiting Aldo Conterno to taste the 2013 Baroli
"As my friends over the river in New Jersey say… Capisce ?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tmKRk2AIJI
I never got around to comment on Antonio’s striking end in one of the posts in the previous Aldo Conterno thread. I must admit there were many winemakers engaging in fun and interesting discussions since the comment seemed to have created quite a stir among the hills of Langa, them being Italian an all. Some even with family roots from Sicily.
While my intention was to continue posting impressions from visits to other estates on our trip in December, I thought I might as well share some impressions from our revisit to Poderi Aldo Conterno last week given the many times we have bothered Giacomo Conterno lately with our poor jokes about ottantasette.
This time we didn’t experience the same overwhelming challenges from the airlines, like last time, when Lufthansa almost put an end to our Barolo visit before it had even started. However, the logistics where quite complicated as we descended upon Langa in three waves. I took a flight to Pisa to indulge in some wine drinking in Tuscany before driving to Barolo to do some photography (and I admit: some wine drinking) at Scavino and Conterno-Fantino. Towards the evening it was time to drive to Milano Linate to pick-up the second member of Barolo Boys Stockholm. We headed straight to Serravalle Langhe to once again enjoy a magic dinner at Trattoria La Coccinella. The food is simply astonishing delicious. The third Barolo Boys member was not arrive until the day after.
The next day we had an intense schedule, with visits to Giuseppe Rinaldi, G. D. Vajra and E. Pira - AND we managed to make a stop-over at Ciccio’s place in Serralunga (Centro Storico) before taking a short cut across the undulating hills of Barolo to finally descend upon what more looks like a small village than an estate - Poderi Aldo Conterno.
Giacomo Conterno was his usual self - full of energy, witty, passionate and a tremendous source of information and knowledge about the wine region. Well, he’s free to be as charming as he wants and he can try to dazzle us with…whatever…but I and Joakim agreed to stick to our game plan. To engage in intense, loud discussions - in Swedish - while tasting his wines, only to interject with a sudden “ottantasette” here and there. Completely at random.
- Joakim, vilken vackert väder vi har idag. Hoppas temperaturen inte blir alltför hög under vår vistelse. Ottantasette.
- Det har du rätt i, Miran. Ottantasette . Det vore rätt så skönt med lite mer svalka när man åker omkring så här och besöker olika vinegendomar.
Just to keep Giacomo on his toes…
I won’t get into our lively discussions about wine, life and the Langa region. Despite us cracking jokes about him all the time, he seemed to be in good spirit and asked to excuse himself just to meet with the blending team behind the door and to prepare the tampered bottles and quickly bottle them so he could come out with a bottle that looked normal each time he was about to serve a new wine. We did of course nod and lament the fact that he went throught these labourous procedures with his entire staff just to dazzle us, also explaining to him that we will only buy a few bottles from the wine stores in Alba so there just shouldn’t be any reason with going through all this work but “No, no, no”, Giacomo insisted, “I have you on file and will prepare special bottles according to your personal taste, like I do with all visitors”. Well-well… All in good spirit.
As before, I’ll include the impressions from Joakim, my fellow member of Barolo Boys Stockholm. The third member had basically the same impressions. When back in Stockholm, I also met Jörgen at a dinner with friends and asked him about his take on these wines and apparently he’s about to publish his tasting notes so I didn’t have them at hand but he gave me a list of his scores for the Cru Baroli and with those in mind we compared our impressions about the wines. Like the last time, the were quite similar.
The tasting started with a white wine.
2014 Aldo Conterno Bussiador Langhe Chardonnay
Like so many times before, not only in Barolo, there seems to be a rule of thumb - that if you have a cooler vintage that might not have produced the best red wines, the whites on the other hand, seem to benefit and come out better than in warmer years. The 2014 version of Bussiador aligns with this trend. Having spent 14 months in new barrels, the toasty aromas of french oak and hazlenuts are the first impressions but with little time in the glass it evolves into a very clear-cut, distinct Burgundian version of a Chardonnay, with yellow apples and a pronounced pulse of minerality shining throughout the tasting experience. At 12.5 alcohol it comes out as slim, cool and very focused. Giacomo told us that they used a draconian selection to finally end up with ca 5000 bottles instead of the usual 20000. What really strikes me with this wine, are the constant changes in the glass. Giacomo insisted we should leave the wine to warm up and in doing so I was reminded about our encounter with Angelo Gaja, when he poured us his Chardonnay:
GAJA
Together with my best friend, I had an initial appointment at Gaja in the beautiful little town of Barbaresco. There was some confusion as we entered since there seemed to be a group of people visiting at the same time and when they were instructed to follow a representative of the winery we followed but were quickly motioned to stay behind and asked to wait in a separate room looking like a cellar with a long, long table set and prepared with glasses for three persons at one end. While we were waiting I was taking some photos of the old Gaja bottles displayed on a shelf as a man entered and slightly obstructed my view. I turned back and thought I’d kindly ask him to move away as to get enough distance between the bottles and my camera but when I looked up I realised there was no time for more pictures. It was Don Angelo Gaja himself. Now, I don’t know how to fully describe the forthcoming three hours but let me say that this winery visit turned out to be one of the most surprising as well as enjoyable I have had the fortune to experience. Apparently the set table was prepared for Angelo, myself and my friend so without further due we sat down to what I thought was a friendly chat with Angelo. Well… Those who have met him are probably laughing out loud now (knowing what will come) but believe me when I say that I wasn’t at all prepared for what was waiting around the corner. Having only seen Gaja on photos in wine magazines I have pictured him as a modest, quiet man in posh suits. Not quite so… This brilliant wine-maker shares the same kind of burning passion for wine as all the other masters I have had the fortune to meet, with the only difference that his passion is articulated so much more vividly and loudly. The first time I nervously looked at the time was after what might been an hour and a half of intense discussion on wine, when Angelo in the middle of a sentence stopped himself and asked if we by any chance had more time to which we of course nodded YES! (while secretly worrying how to make it in time for today’s second appointment, which was Giacomo Conterno). What a wonderful thing to worry about! I only wish I had more of these kind of dilemmas… It was amazing to see Angelo in action. The word passion doesn’t do justice to him. He’s articulate, he’s intense, he literally S C R E A M S out his passion. At one point he was standing up behind his chair, jumping up and down and shouting out his opinions so passionately and loudly that the echo was bouncing back and forth in the small cellar with such intensity making you almost believe there was an earth quake around the corner. I LOVE this kind of passion! What seemed to trigger Mr Gaja the most was the notion by many wine critics that his generic Barbaresco was anything less that his vineyard designated Barbarescos. He explained that the generic Barbaresco is the backbone of Gaja with no less attention to detail than the single crus and he wanted people to understand that it is not “just” the Barbaresco but a wonderful wine on its own, sourced from the best parcels. Angelo also showed us a summary of, I believe, several different magazines and reviews of 2001 Barbarescos which all had the same result - the number 1 rated Barbaresco was Gaja. Well, what can I say? I haven’t tasted all the others on those lists but Angelo opened a 2001 Barbaresco and I can only confirm that his pride of this wine is well-founded. The first thing that comes to your mind is balance. It seems to possess a complete harmony between nose, palate and structure. The nose offers wonderful aromas of spices, roses, licorice and cherries, repeated on the palate. Difficult to describe but harmony or balance with many layers of flavors is the best description I can offer. Utterly fresh and enjoyable, I rated it 94 points. Very much well-deserved. It offered such an immediate gratification already now. It’s amazing in a way, because I later tasted Gaja’s single vineyard crus and although I rate them higher because I felt even more concentration or structure in them (which equals higher points in my scroing) but the question is if it isn’t the generic Barbaresco that gives the most drinking pleasure, the more HEDONISTIC experience. It kind of sings to you in a wonderful tone. If I had never experience hedonism before and wanted to know all about it, this particular bottle would be my choice of preference. God knows how this will evolve - my experience of Gaja is too limited. Then he opened the 2001 Barolo Sperss. Interestingly, this was much denser than the Barbaresco, with “more” to it of every flavor but not as balanced and frankly I rated it somewhat below the Barbaresco, 92-93 points. It has those wonderful flavors of the usual suspects: licorice, roses, sweet fruit, and that walking-in-the-forest-scent that later often turns into those lovely mushroom flavors in older Barolo. Angelo wasn’t satisfied with only these offerings so he went searching for another bottle and opened an additional vintage of Sperss just as a comparison. The 1990 Barolo Sperss. Wow, I really like this wine. So typically Barolo with it’s secondary dryer fruit and mushroom nuances. It’s just a matter of taste, what you prefer at this particular moment and although I loved the 1990 I preferred the fresher 2001. Thinking about it, sooo many 2001s from a whole array of Piemonte producers have had this utter freshness while maintaining all those layers upon layers of aromas that you would suspect emerge only with more bottle age. Angelo was also anxious to show us his Chardonnay, so he opened the 1987 and 1997 Chardonnay Gaja & Rey. I have only tasted the 1997 once and wasn’t that impressed. Sure, it was a nice Chardonnay but an expensive one for all I know and I only had a half-bottle. As Angelo poured the wines we eagerly swirled the glass and were prepared to taste but then he suddenly stopped us in our motion and said “NO-NO, you have to WAIT for at least half an hour!”. Puzzled we asked why and were told that the wine will evolve immensely in the glass. However, indeed we tasted a sip or two after all and the impression is one of a quite fresh and minerally Chardonnay, even the 1987. Almost like a Chablis Grand Cru. Fresh, minerality, but with a subdued concentration of creamy fruit. Then came the surprise. The 1997 remained basically the same, with a little more added weight and more fruit, but the 1987 had completely changed into another creature. This one suddenly brimmed with butter scotch, with nuts, butter cream and ooozes of tropical fruit. What a wonderful wine! Hadn’t it been for Angelo’s recommendation, I would have taken a sip and finished the glass or bottle within the first half hour and probably never experience the transformation. Isn’t it exactly THIS that makes wine so fascinating? You never know what will happen in the glass. Wine’s a living thing, it breads, it evolves in the glass, it provides pleasure but not the SAME pleasure depending on time of opening, time of airing, time of storage and so on. I can’t help myself from thinking of “Maya” in Sideways and her explanation on why she got into wine. Can’t stop thinking of Maya (Virginia Madsen) either, when I come to think about it… But that’s a whole different story. If anyone knows is she’s available, please let me know. Oh, sorry, I seemed to have lost focus here, forgive me. Nevertheless, The Gaja experience was absolutely fascinating. This man is the very definition of true passion. I always admire honest passion straight from the heart and it is difficult to imagine a clearer expression of this love. After almost three hours Angelo excused himself and said that he had other things to attend to but before he insisted he we receive two copies of the book portraying the history of Barbaresco and it’s wines (“The Vines of San Lorenzo - The making of a great wine in the new tradition” by Edward Steinberg). Incidentally it was the very same book my friend and I had looked at in a book store in Barbaresco just before the visit. Gosh, I wish my life had more moments like this…
The same intriguing oscillation between different impressions can be found in the Bussiador. At one time it feels tight and precise, with some smoke and above all the mineralic core dominating your taste buds, only to suddenly shift into a creamier version with spices and dried tropical fruits - not to forget the sprinkle of citrus peel on the finish of each sip, just to remind you of the underlying freshness. To me, this is better than the 2013 version of Bussiador and as I scribble down my notes I can’t help thinking about how many consumers who actually taste this wine like we had the opportunity to do today, to really stay with the wine and come back to it every now and then. I agree with both Giacomo Conterno and Angelo Gaja - these wines need some time in the glass to blossom. I can only see this wine getting better with age. 91+ points.
Joakim:
The 14 vintage has a more Burgundian touch than the more outspoken 13. The production is only 25% of the normal one. But what a wine! The nose is young, greenish and very refined with notes of cool yellow plums, hazelnuts, flint and passionfruit. Very handsome. Dry lemon fudge. Really interesting. The taste is cool, young and pure with notes of lemon cream, minerals, almond butter cookies and cap gun smoke. A long, focused finish. Would love to have some bottles of this to put in a fine Burgundian line up. 93 points.
2014 Aldo Conterno Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile
In hindsight, this was actually one of the very few wines where my impressions came out considerably different compared to those of Joakim’s. We had been joking for quite some time during our trip because we engaged in the same procedure every time: tasting the wines in silence, scribbling down our notes and scores and when finished, comparing our impressions. I’ve lost count on the numerous occasions when were ended up with the exact same score or when only a point up and down was the only difference. Looking back at my notes I’m not surprised since he has a tendency to sometimes enjoy slimmer wines while I’m fond of more roundness and richness. The 2014 Conca Tre Pile offers an initial wave of fresh acidity wrapped around a fruit melange of dark cherries, some dried strawberries and…as a child, have you ever sucked on that old version of black phone handles? Nope? Than you haven’t experienced…bakelite.
Add to it a sense of undergrowth vegetation with moist leafs and you get a wine that to me is aking for some food because the freshness from the acidity keeps the black fruit tumbling around your palate like a washing machine. Because of the cool vintage I believe this was down to some 11,000 bottles compared to the usual 37,000. The final impression is a racy wine with very “naked” fruit, without that extra full-throttle, luscious, thick fruit I usually prefer. Reinhard Löwenstein from Mosel once explained to me that it makes sense I prefer that type of style since I’m fat. Enough said. 88 points.
Joakim:
A deep scented, dark nose with notes of dried strawberries, moist undergrowth, smoke and fine floral scents. At the same time heavy and light. Very, very good. The taste is tight, racy, with a fine laid back warmth and notes of raspberries, sandelwood, dried flowers and bakelite. An almost salty finish. Long and warm. Really good and highly drinkable. 92 points.
Then…it was time for the Nebbiolo-based wines and it took us only a second before we started mumbling in Swedish, interjecting with “ottantasette” every now and then. Giacomo begged and pleaded us to please have mercy and believe him that there was now foul play - "Look, the offical stamp of the DOCG!, he cried out loud but enough with the yada yada yada…we told him we knew there was some monkey business going on here. Finally he cracked and broke down in front of our eyes, admitting everything. Not only was he secretly blending the wines to our preferred palate but he had his entire team working overtime behind the scene, just for our visit. No wonder the wines tasted as they did…
2013 Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia
This comes roaring out of the glass with juicy, luscious, and sappy cool black and red fruits and on a bed of spices and floral notes. Very fresh attack on the palate, like a cleansing mouth wash, it offers a mixture rose petals, licorice and tannins that seem to have been ground and polished until they are microscopic and ultra-fine, yet they announce their presence enough to give this Barolo a firm backbone. Add some hints of tobacco and a sense of balsamico note on the finish and you have a very delicious Barolo at your hands. 91 points.
Joakim:
The Normale has a fine, elegant, laid back nose with notes of roses, licorice, cough medicine and lots of floral elements. Very, very good. The taste is cool, tight and medium bodied with notes of hard cherry candy, gravel, rosehips and cool tobacco. A long, linear finish that will need 3-5 years to come around. 91 points.
So far this seemed like quite a normal tasting, not much diifferent to many similar wine estate appointments in the Barolo region. That is…until I suddenly looked up with surprise, turned to Joakim and asked him:
- Do you hear the clocks and bells??
- Yes, Joakim replied. Don’t freak out on me now but turn slowly and look behind your back.
I slowly turned while the sound of the clocks ringing slowly faded away, only to find myself staring at Giacomo who had not only pulled out a new bottle of wine for us to taste but had also changed into a red space suite, explaining that every special wine needs a special musical intro and this was his choice for the Colonnello.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrLOGd3uPO8
2013 Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello
With the music ringing in my ear, I slowly gasped for air as I inhaled the intoxicating perfumes of this beautiful wine. Considerably darker in appearance and with deeper layers of fruit compared to the Barolo Bussia, this wine jumps out of the glass and grabs your attention from the very first seep. There’s a lovely overall sensuality emeerging from this wine, with red licorice candy, sweet, silky tannins, Christmas spices and those utterly delicious crispy and sweet, yet fresh wild strawberries you find in a forest clearing in the deep woods here in Sweden. The perfumes rising from the glass are hypnotizing - I told Giacomo he could bottle the Colonnello in small, exclusive crystals selling them as Eau-du-Cologne. I love the hints of balsamic herbs, the spices and those captivating ripe strawberries. But above all the wonderful…liquirizia! Ultra-fine tannins and tension from start to finish make this an utterly compelling drinking experience. Impossible not to be seduced by this sensual creature. 95 points.
Joakim:
The three vineyard wines - Colonnello, Cicala and Romirasco - are masterpieces in the 2013 vintage. The Colonnello soars up from the glass with enticing aromas of ripe strawberries, Christmas spices, violets, licorice and dried flowers. Magnificent. There is a touch of band aid that adds to the complexity. The taste is pure and aristocratic with balance and energy, and notes of hard cherry candy, raspberry licorice, sweet minerals and violets. The finish goes on and on and on. Brilliant. 97 points.
Jörgen:
95 points.
I turned to Giacomo, curious about which intro he would use for his next wine. This is what he came up with:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HHMA1Dpo5M
A surprising choice… But we settled back in our chairs as Giacomo poured the wine and hoped the wine would show characteristics that would be aligned with his choice of intro.
2013 Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala
With the depth in both colour and layer of the Colonnello, it was difficult to imagine how a wine could display even more depth but this exactly the first impression of this beauty. Ooooozing with deep, sensual and luscious layers of black cherries, licorice (sorry for the nagging about liquirizia but this a repeated and literally mesmerizing characteristic of these Baroli - no wonder I always feel this urge to run to my favourite gelateria opposite the train station of Alba to scope up the same flavours in their delicious ice-cream, after a day of tasting Barolo), Asian spices and hints of dark, salty bitter-chocolate. Immensely perfumed and aromatic on the nose, proundly powerful and rich yet sensual on the palate, with ultra-polished tannins. Wow! Add to it notes of porcini, moist tobacco leafs and a vibrating mineralic tension, well, this is simply a terrific Barolo. 97 points.
Joakim:
The Cicala is denser, deeper and a bit sturdier on the nose compared to the Colonnello. Full of black cherries, fir wood, violets, dark flowers and a touch of mint. Very, very deep. A vibrating, rich nose. The taste is tight, seedy and multi layered with notes of sweet/sour cherries, warm sand, dried flowers and lots of mushrooms. The finish is two minutes long and so racy, so vigorous, so sappy. Wait 6+ years and you’re probably looking at perfection. 97 points.
Jörgen:
97 points.
In retrospective, it was fun to observe that the three of us had scored the wine exactly the same. Apparently the 2013 vintage is a winner at Poderi Aldo Conterno, as with many other estates in Langa. However, when I remarked to Giacomo that I wasn’t that impressed by his choice of intro, he stared back at me, suddenly left his chair and came back with another bottled, opened it and as he poured the wine, he asked if this inro is more to my liking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQmmM_qwG4k
2010 Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala
Holy Macaroni… In the presence of greatness: this is simply ridiculously delicious. For once, I didn’t agree with Joakim (who favoured the 2013 version but that’s really splitting hairs). This one is just…brutal. Opening up with hints of veal stock and perfumes of mature Port, black leather and tar. All these characteristics rumble over your palate like a vibrating V8 engine and splashes layers upon layers of spices, truffles, black cherries, black olive tapenade and balsamic herbs. It’s deep, it’s dense, it’s rich and powerful with more pronounced yet super-ultra-fine tannins. Sweet Lord, this has the most intriguing core of pure energy! Utterly captivating for every new sip. I just couldn’t take my eyes off this beauty. It lured me to come back for more and more and…oh, the others want a pour too? Sorry. My attention was so zoomed into this wine I had completely forgotten the others around me. There’s this most sensational mixture of brute granite, finely ground ammoniumchloride, black mushrooms and even some salinity on the intoxicating finish. Every little detail is carved out meticulously in this astonishing wine. There’s so much to like here: the vivid texture and lively tension that just keeps the energy pumping throughout the drinking experience, the moist tobacco, the pitch-black licorice notes and intriguing spices. It’s a wow-wow experience with an intense and persistent finish. An absolutely stunning wine! 98+ points.
Joakim:
We talked about different vintages and how the 13’s compares to the last great vintage, the 2010. And all of a sudden Giacomo gets up and fetches a 2010 Cicala! Comparing the 10 to the 13 it is obvious that the 10 is a bit darker, denser and with more dried up sweetness than the 13. But it doesn’t have that high strung energy that the 13 have. This 10 is for the long haul. More tobacco, earthy notes and the tannins in the finish is more brutal (in a nice way). When asked which we preferred, my two fellow Barolo Boys both preferred the 10 while I and Giacomo preferred the 13. I am in good company :-). 96 points.
It’s such an incredible experience to be able to taste these two utterly compelling wines side by side. I cannot than Giacomo warmly enough for allowing us this rare opportunity.
Time for the next wine and the choice of intro? This:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY
I must admit I was so knocked of my feet by the next wine I completely forgot to take a photo of the bottle, which is quite rare if you have ever seen me at a wine tasting. So I had to borrow a photo from Joakim.
2013 Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco
Oh Boy… What can you say? How does one describe a wine of this stature? It’s…succulent. Roaring with pure energy. The first sign I’m in the presence of greatness are the goosbumps on my arm. It’s almost as if you need to take a moment to just pause and contemplate without writing anything down because otherwise my scribbled notes would be difficult to read. Okay, let’s start with the most obvious here. The energy in this wine. And the utterly profound tension in the Romirasco. Everything else plays second fiddle because it’s the tension that completely makes for the identity of the wine. Only when this is stressed, there’s a reason to add the other observations, like the dried rose petals, the wild strawberries and fresh raspberries, the truffle aromas and wait, don’t get me strated on the energy and tension - Oh! Have I already mentioned that? Sorry, but it’ just such an central part of this iconic wine. Utter complexity throughout the texture and layers of fruit but wait for it…there’s this hypnotic feeling of the wine being slim, elegant and focused like am laser beam yet you sense inbetween the layers of “fatness”, as if someone would slice a lardo and throw it into the mixture just to add broader richness. Total elegance and purity combined with powerfull richness and a sensual personality on a bed of highly charged energy, how do you beat that? Simply breathtaking. 99+ points.
Joakim:
What to say about the Romirasco? Words can’t do justice to masterpieces like this. It is all that the Colonnello and Cicala are, but then there is that special Romirasco touch, that purity, depth, complexity and supremacy. A breathtaking wine, that just needs those 8+ years to add some mature complexity to it. These wines carry a rather hefty price tag but in this case it is, to quote a certain wine critic, a no-brainer, this is one for the the cellar. 99 points.
Jörgen:
100 points.
At some point my friend Joakim was leaning on the ropes and I thought I had lost him but luckly enough he regained his composure and came back to life with a little more Barolo in his throat. Just in time for our third member of Barolo Boys Stockholm to arrive, allowing us to pause and retaste the wines once again just to confirm our initial impressions.
Before leaving, Giacomo insisted we try another wine. And of course, we needed an appropriate intro to accompany the wine. This one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev5odVRMs6k
2009 Aldo Conterno Barolo Granbussia
To me, the 2009 vintage wasn’t to my liking and I can’t remember buying many wines. With that in mind, the Granbussia was a surprise to me. It starts it’s journey with black olives, black mushrooms, truffles and lovely cool, black fruits. Black cherries and blackberries to be more precise. Compact and unusually dense and deep black feeling of earth, forest floor, tobacco and wet leader (no, I haven’t been to my regular Dominatrix appointments - the many black impressions come from the wine, I promise you). Despite the pronounced structure, the tannins are - again - very polished and delicately sweet and sour. I love the spices and notes of charcoal embedded within the succulent fruit and the purity of the mineralic finish. Again a strikingly beautiful wine. 94+ points.
Joakim:
Back at the estate Giacomo fetched a last bottle for us to taste, the 09 Granbussia. A very deep, dark flowery nose with notes of dried cherries, ceps, dried roses, leather and some freshly grounded coffee. Some maturity. Very, very good. A very fine warmth to the fruit. The taste is tight and structured with notes of red and black cherries, forest floor, leather and dried flowers. A very long, distinct finish. Drinking fine already but will keep for many, many years. Really fine. 94 points.
Jörgen:
95 points.
All in all, not a bad tasting… To put it mildly. Still today I’m trying to figure out what left the biggest and most memorable impression, the beautiful wines or the time spent with Giacomo out in Romirasco and Cicala vineyards. That, however, is another story.
Here endeth my impressions. I take a bow… Thanks for listening.
The people, the wine, the food, the scenery. Hope you won’t miss La Coccinella in Serravalle Langhe.
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i recall you and Josef battling with Nebbiolo vs the rest of the world.
Time flies… We had some fun tasting in those days. And it seemed like you and the other in attendance enjoyed them as much as we did.